Serving tray with hinged cup retainer



United States Patent Inventor Kenneth L. Crabtree Fairfield, Maine Appl.No. 798,417 Filed Feb. I], 1969 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 Assignee KeyesFibre Company Waterville, Maine a corporation of Maine SERVING TRAY WITHI-IINGED CUP RETAINER 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 229/I5, 229/25, 229/45 Int. Cl B65d 3/24, 365d 81/06 FieldofSearch ..229/l5, 2.5,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,184,133 5/1965 Boyd etal..,........ 229/25 3,366,303 1/1968 Kasper 229/25 3,458,l l3 7/1969Swartzbaugh 229/44 Primary Examiner-David M. Bockenek Attorney-Connollyand Hutz ABSTRACT: Serving tray comprises receptacle having bottom wall,upwardly extending side wall connected to bottom wall, and peripheralrim or edge. Cup retainer hingedly connected to receptacle hascup-supporting platform spaced from and above peripheral rim ofreceptacle when retainer is moved about hinge into covering relationshipwith portion of receptacle. Aperture in cup-supporting platform ofretainer is arranged to receive and thereby stabilize cup to prevent itfrom tipping over.

The present invention relates to a serving tray, and more particularlyto a tray with a hinged cup retainer for holding, carrying. and servingfoodstuffs, beverages, and analogous products.

Prior to the present invention, numerous serving trays have beenproposed for carrying foods and the like away from service counter areaswhere these items are sold. Such trays facilitate customer service atdrive-in theaters and restaurants, stadiums, and snack bars,for example,and usually include a group of cavities dimensioned to receive variousfood products. Most of the wellknown disposable paperboard trays of thetype erected from collapsed form lack sufficient strength especiallywhen a loaded tray is only held by the customer at one end thereof.Although mostof the paperboard serving trays have eliminated the needfor glue, staples and stitching, time and effort is required when theyare set up in condition for use. Moreover, the. folds and overlaps ofpaperboard trays require additional amounts of material which contributeto their overall cost. Aside from the cost of producing paperboard traysand the time spent in assembling them. the primary objection to theiruse is that they'lack the necessary strength to support the food itemsusually loaded into them. Beverage containers can easily topple in thesetrays causing distress and inconvenience to both the customer andmanagement of the service area. Inadequate cup or container supportcontributes significantly to the shortcomings ofthe heretofore availableservingtrays whether they be constructed of a paperboard or othermaterials.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aserving tray that avoids the disadvantages of the prior constructionsand which functions in a highly satisfactory and beneficial manner tosupport food products of the type usually sold at service counter areas.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplyconstructed serving tray with a hinged cup retainer that supportsbeverage containers in a maximum stability of the containers and theircontents.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a servingtray with a hinged cup retainer that may be nested in other like traysduring transportation and storage in such a manner that the nested arrayc occupies only slightly more space than is necessary to accommodate thearithmetic total of the individual tray wall thicknesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, aserving tray is provided comprising a wall portion, an upwardlyextending side wall portion connected to the bottom wall, and aperipheral rim or edge. The serving tray also has a cup retainer andhinge structure for connecting the retainer to the receptacle. The cupretainer has a cup-supporting platform spaced from and above theperipheral rim of the receptacle when the retainer is moved about thehinge structure into covering relationship with a portion of thereceptacle. At least one aperture is located in the elevatedcup-supporting platform of' the retainer for receiving and therebystabilizing a cup inserted into the aperture.

The side wall portion of the receptacle includes opposed side and endwalls, and the cup retainer may be hinged to the receptacle at one ofthe end walls. Moreover, the hinge structure can comprise a pair ofspaced apart hinges. Preferably, the cup retainer includes a continuousside wall portion with one edge thereof connected to the cup-supportingplatform and the opposite edge forming a rim with a portion of the rimconnected to the receptacle by the hinge structure.

The present invention also includesa serving tray having a second cupretainer and hinge structure for connecting that retainer to thereceptacle at the opposite end wall thereof. Each cup-supportingplatform of the two cup retainers may manner which provides have a pairof v cup-receiving apertures for accommodating cups. Also, each of theretainers can be connected to the receptacle by a pair of spaced aparthinges.

Another embodiment of this invention includes a pair of half posts inthe side wall portion of the receptacle, one in each of the opposed sidewalls. A slotted opening in each half post is arranged to receive therim of the cup retainer when the retainer and receptacle are movedtogether about the hinge structure to thereby lock the retainer to thereceptacle.

. As in the other embodiments of this invention, the hinge structure maycomprise a pair of spaced apart hinges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Novel features and advantages of thepresent invention in addition to those mentioned above will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdetailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of a serving tray with a hinged cupretainer according to the present invention;

receptacle which includes a bottom FIG. 2 is a top plan view of theserving tray shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment .if the presentinvention;

. FIG. 4 is atop plan view of the embodiment of the invention shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the serving tray illustrated in FIG. 5-,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentalplan view of alternate hinge Structure for thevarious serving trays of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring in more particularity tothe drawing, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a serving tray 10 having a uniformthickness throughout. The tray is preferably formed of a material whichis capable of being molded as a single unit, i.e., integrally molded.Although fiber pulp and the molding procedures associated therewith areparticularly satisfactory for this purpose, other suitable materials maybe used such as light, strong plastic which may be molded as a one pieceunit between mating male and female dies or in other conventional dies.

The serving tray 10 comprises a receptacle 12 for holding foodstuffssuch as sandwiches and the like. The receptacle has a bottom wallportion 14 and an upwardly and outwardly extending side wall portion 16surrounding the bottom wall and connected thereto. A continuousperipheral rim or edge 18 is formed at the upper portion of the sidewall 16. Additionally, the serving tray 10 includes a cup retainer 20connected to the receptacle 12 by hinge structure 22 which includes acontinuous straight line of reduced thickness in the material bridgingthe receptacle andcup retainer. The cup retainer has a cupsupportingplatform 24 and a continuous side wall portion 26 with one edge thereofconnected to platform 24 and the opposite edge forming a rim 28. Aportion of the rim 28 is connected to the receptacle 12 by the hingestructure 22. As explained more fully below, the cupsupporting platform24 is spaced from and above the peripheral rim 18 of the receptacle whenthe cup retainer is moved about the hinge structure 22 into coveringrelationship with a portion of the receptacle. A pair of apertures 3.0are provided in the cup-supporting platform 24 of the retainer 20 forreceiving and thereby stabilizing cups 32 or other beverage containersinserted into the apertures and resting upon the bottom wall portion 14of the a receptacle. Alternatively, the apertures may engage the cupsthe molded trays from the dies upon which they are formed.

The draft or inclination of the side walls enables a plurality of traysto be stacked one upon the other in nested relationship for easytransportation and storage. As is well known, a nested plurality oftrays occupies slightly more space than is necessary to accommodate thearithmetic total of the individual tray wall thicknesses. When a tray isneeded, the cup retainer 20 is moved about the hinge structure 22 intocovering relationship with a portion of the receptacle 12, as shown bestin FIG. 1. Such movement positions the cup-supporting platform 24 of theretainer a sufficient distance from the bottom wall portion 14 of thereceptacle which distance is approximately equal to twice the depth ofthe receptacle. Accordingly, when a cup 32 or a similar beveragecontainer is inserted into one of the cupreceiving apertures 30 theportions of the platform 24 defining that aperture stabilize and supportthe cup at a position thereon which is spaced well above the bottom wallportion 14 of the receptacle to thereby prevent the cup from tipping.With most cups or beverage containers the platform 24 supports the cupat a point above its center of gravity for maximum cup stability.However, regardless of the relationship between the center of gravity ofthe beverage container and the elevation of the platform 24, thecontainer is supported at a location spaced from and above theperipheral rim of the receptacle for maximum cup stability. As describedabove, the uncovered portion of the receptacle 12 is utilized forholding, carrying, and serving other foodstuffs. Also, the sidewallportion 26 of the cup-supporting platform functions as an elevated wallagainst which certain carry-out foods may be rested to increase thecapacity of the receptacle l2.

FlGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another serving tray 40 which in many respectsis similar in design and construction to the serving tray it} shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, for purposes of convenience and clarity similarparts are identified by the similar reference numerals. The maindistinction between the serving trays and 40 is the addition of a secondcup retainer to the serving tray 40. The second cup retainer 20' isconnected to the slightly larger receptacle 12 by hinge structure 22'which includes a continuous straight line of reduced thickness in thematerial bridging the receptacle and the second cup retainer. Basically,the serving tray 40 functions to hold, carry, and serve foodstuffs,beverages, and analogous products, much in the same manner as theserving tray 10 except that cups 32 or other beverage containers may bepositioned at both ends of the serving tray 40 by the cup-supportingplatforms of the cup retainers 20 and 20.

The serving tray 50 shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 comprises a receptacle 52for holding foodstuffs much in the same manner as the receptacles of theprevious embodiments of this invention. Receptacle 52 has a bottom wallportion 54 and an upwardly and outwardly extending side wall portion 56surrounding the bottom wall and connected thereto. A continuousperipheral rim or edge 58 is formed at the upper portion of the sidewall 56 and a cup retainer 60 is connected to the receptacle 52 at oneend thereof by hinge structure 62. The hinge structure includes acontinuousstraight line of reduced thickness in the material thatbridges the receptacle and cup retainer. Like the other embodiments ofthe present invention,

the cup retainer 60 has a cup-supporting platform 64 and a continuousside wall portion 66 with one edge thereof connected to the platform 64and the opposite edge forming a rim 68 with a portion of the rimconnected to the receptacle 52 by the hinge structure 62. Acup-receiving aperture 70 is provided in the platform 64 of the retainer60 for accommodating a cup 32 or other beverage container inserted intothe aperture. Additional apertures may be located in the cup-supportingplatform if desired.

receptacle when the retainer and receptacle are moved together about thehinge structure 62. As shown best in H6.

5, the ortion of the receptacle 52 covered by the retainer 69 has a sightly lesser depth than the balance of the receptacle.

Accordingly, when the cup retainer is hinged toward the receptacle theperipheral rim 68 snaps into the slotted openings 74 in the half posts72 and the cup-supporting platform 64 is thereby positioned a sufficientdistance from the bottom wall portion 54 of the receptacle.Alternatively, the rim or upper edge of the receptacle could be on acommon plane with the half posts rising to a slightly greater height.Thus, when a cup 32 or similar beverage container is inserted into thecup-receiving aperture 70 the portions of the platform 64 defining thataperture stabilize the cup at a location which is spaced well above thebottom wall portion 54 of the receptacle to prevent the cup fromtipping.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate hinge structure $0 for the variousserving trays shown in FlGS. 1-7. Hinge structure 8t comprises a pair ofspaced apart hinges which are separated from one another by an openingin the material bridging the receptacle and the cup retainer. Each ofthe spaced apart hinges has a continuous straight line of reducedthickness in the material between the receptacle and cup retainer tofacilitate hinging of these components about that line.

lclaim:

1. A serving tray comprising a receptacle including a substantiallyplanar bottom wall portion, an upwardly extending side wall portionconnected to the bottom wall, and a peripheral rim, a cup retainer, andhinge means connecting the cup retainer to the receptacle, the cupretainer including a cup-supporting platform spaced from andsubstantially above the peripheral rim of the receptacle when the cupretainer is moved about the hinge means into covering relationship witha portion of the receptacle, and at least one aperture in thecup-supporting platform of the retainer for receiving a cup.

2. A serving tray as in claim 1 wherein the side wall portion of thereceptacle includes opposed side and end walls, and the cup retainer ishinged to the receptacle at one of the end walls.

3. A serving tray as in claim 2 including a second cup retainer andhinge means for connecting the second retainer to the receptacle at theother end wall, the second retainer including a cup-supporting platformspaced from and above the peripheral rim of the receptacle when thesecond retainer is moved about the hinge means into coveringrelationship with a portion of the receptacle, and at least one aperturein the cup-supporting platform of the second retainer for receiving acup.

4. A serving tray as in claim 3 wherein each cup-supporting platform hasa pair of cup-receiving apertures.

5. A serving tray as in claim 1 wherein the cup retainer includes acontinuous sidewall portion with one edge thereof connected to thecupsupporting platform and the opposite edge forming a rim a portion ofwhich is connected to the receptacle by the hinge means.

6. A serving tray as in claim 5 including at least one inwardlydepressed half post in the sidewall portion of the receptacle, and aslotted opening in the half post facing the hinge means constructed andarranged to receive the rim of the cup retainer when the retainer ismoved about the hinge means into covering relationship with a portion ofthe receptacle to thereby lock the retainer to the receptacle.

7. A serving tray as in claim 5 wherein the receptacle sidewall portionincludes opposed side-and end walls, a pair of half posts, one in eachof the sidewalls, and a slotted opening in each half post arranged toreceive the rim of the cup retainer when the retainer and receptacle aremoved together about the hinge means to thereby lock the retainer to thereceptacle.

8. A serving tray as in claim 7 wherein the hinge means comprises a pairof spaced apart hinges.

